BHARATI SINGH vs THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA

Judgment text excerpt

39-WP-1902-12+F.doc Sayali IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO. 1902 OF 2012 SAYALI DEEPAK Shekhar Suman … Petitioners UPASANI V/s. Digitally signed by The State of Maharashtra and Others … Respondents SAYALI DEEPAK UPASANI Date: 2026.04.30 18:41:19 +0530 WITH WRIT PETITION NO.1906 OF 2012 Bharati Singh … Petitioner V/s. The State of Maharashtra and Others … Respondents Mr. Niteen Pradhan, Senior Advocate with P. D. Desai, for Petitioner. Mrs. Megha Bajoria, APP for State. Mr. N. T. More, PSI, Pydhonie Police Station Present. CORAM : AMIT BORKAR, J. DATED : APRIL 29, 2026 ORDER: 1. Inasmuch as both the present writ petitions emanate from an identical factual matrix and give rise to common questions of law, this Court considers it appropriate and expedient to dispose of the same by a common order. 1 39-WP-1902-12+F.doc 2. The present Criminal Writ Petitions are instituted by the Petitioners laying challenge to the registration of First Information Reports bearing C.R. No. 265 of 2010 dated 27 November 2010, registered with Pydhonie Police Station, for the alleged offences punishable under Section 295-A read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code. 3. The factual background, giving rise to the present petitions, in brief, is thus. The impugned FIR came to be registered pursuant to a complaint lodged by one Mr. Mohd. Imran Dadani Rasabi, who claims to be the President of Raza Academy. The Petitioner in Writ Petition No. 1902 of 2012 was, at the relevant time, functioning as a Judge in a programme telecast on Sony Entertainment Television, hereinafter referred to as “SET”. The Petitioner in Writ Petition No. 1906 of 2012 was participating as a performing artist in a programme broadcast on the said channel. The FIR furt